Seiko LCD Solar Alarm Chronograph A156-5000, 1978

, commonly known as Seiko ( , ), is a Japanese maker of watches, clocks, electronic devices, and semiconductors. Founded in 1881 by Kintarō Hattori in Tokyo, Seiko introduced the world's first commercial quartz wristwatch in 1969.

Seiko is widely known for its wristwatches. Seiko and Rolex are the only two watch companies considered to be vertically integrated. Seiko is able to design and develop all the components of a watch, as well as assemble, adjust, inspect and ship them in-house. Seiko's mechanical watches consist of approximately 200 parts, and the company has the technology and production facilities to design and manufacture all of these parts in-house.

The company was incorporated (K. Hattori & Co., Ltd.) in 1917 and renamed Hattori Seiko Co., Ltd. in 1983 and Seiko Corporation in 1990. After reconstructing and creating its operating subsidiaries (such as Seiko Watch Corporation and Seiko Clock Inc.), it became a holding company in 2001 and was renamed Seiko Holdings Corporation on July 1, 2007. Seiko Holdings Corporation was renamed Seiko Group Corporation as of October 1, 2022.

Seiko watches were originally produced by two different Hattori family companies (not subsidiaries of K. Hattori & Co); one was Daini Seikosha Co. (now known as Seiko Instruments Inc., a subsidiary of Seiko Holdings since 2009) and the other was Suwa Seikosha Co. (now known as Seiko Epson Corporation, an independent publicly traded company). Having two companies both producing the same brand of watch enabled Seiko to improve technology through competition and hedge risk. It also reduced risk of production problems, since one company can increase production in the case of decreased production in the other parties. Seiko remains as one of the world's most recognised watchmaking brands.

At present, quartz and Spring Drive watches are manufactured in Shiojiri, Nagano (Epson), and mechanical watches in Shizukuishi, Iwate (Morioka Seiko Instruments). Some of the watches exported abroad, such as the Seiko 5, are also manufactured in Ninohe, Iwate, by Ninohe Tokei Kogyo (established in 1974 as a parts factory for Seiko). Flagship mechanical timepieces such as the Grand Seiko Kodo are manufactured at Atelier Ginza, located on the 7th floor of Seiko House Ginza in Tokyo.

In Ginza, where the company was founded, there are several Seiko-related facilities in addition to Seiko House Ginza, including the Seiko Museum and Seiko Dream Square. Several Seiko boutiques and department stores in the area frequently offer Ginza-exclusive models.

History

1881 founding to 1929

In 1881, Seiko founder Kintarō Hattori opened a watch and jewelry shop called "K. Hattori" () in Tokyo. Kintarō Hattori had been working as clockmaker apprentice since the age of 13, with multiple stints in different watch shops, such as “Kobayashi Clock Shop”, run by an expert technician named Seijiro Sakurai; “Kameda Clock Shop” in Nihonbashi; and “Sakata Clock Shop” in Ueno, where he learned how to both sell and repair timepieces.

Around the time of Seiko's founding, watchmakers in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya were studying and producing pocket watches based on Western products. Japanese wholesalers needed to purchase all the imported timepieces from foreign trading companies established in Yokohama, Kobe, and other open port areas.

In 1885, Hattori began dealing directly with these foreign trading firms in the Yokohama settlement focused on the wholesaling and retailing of western (imported) timepieces and machinery.

Over the years, Hattori developed a close partnership with multiple foreign trading firms, including C&J Favre-Brandt, F. Perregaux & Co., Zanuti & Cie. and Siber & Brennwald, allowing him to obtain exclusive imported timepieces and machinery, which was not available elsewhere at that time.

Hattori's shop became increasingly popular due to the rarity of the imported watches the shop was selling, which were not found anywhere else in Japan. The growing success allowed him to relocate the company to the main street of Ginza (Tokyo), still the epicenter of commerce in Japan to this day.

In 1891, 10 years after the establishment of K. Hattori & Co., the 31-year-old Kintaro was appointed director of the Tokyo Clockmaker and Watchmaker Association and member of Tokyo Chamber of Commerce.

In 1892, Hattori began to produce clocks under the name , meaning, roughly, "House of Exquisite Workmanship." According to Seiko's official company history, titled ''A Journey In Time: The Remarkable Story of Seiko'' (2003), Seiko is a Japanese word meaning ; it is homophonous with the word for .

In 1895, the watch dealer purchased the corner of Ginza 4-chome (the present-day location of WAKO), and constructed a building with a clock tower (16 meters from top to bottom), setting up shop at the new address.

Seiko launched its first in-house pocket watch, the Timekeeper, in 1895; the first Japanese-made wristwatch, the Laurel, in 1913; and the first Seiko-branded wristwatch in 1924.

In order to avoid an ill omen believed to be associated with the word "GLORY" in Japanese, Seikosha changed its trade mark to "Seiko" in 1924.

In 1929, the Seiko pocket watch was adopted as the official watch for the drivers of Japanese Government Railways.

1930 to 1990

Military watches produced for Japanese troops during World War II were manufactured by Seiko, which by 1938, produced 1.2 million timepieces a year. The scarcity of raw materials during the war diverted much of Seiko's production to on-board instruments for military aircraft and ships. In contrast to Japan, Germany utilized both domestically produced and Swiss-produced watches. Japan's isolation in the Pacific meant the country could not rely on importing foreign timepieces.

In 1951, Seiko broadcast its first radio commercial in Japan, and when Japan's first commercial television station opened in 1953, it broadcast Japan's first television commercial. The first Japanese commercial was supposed to be broadcast as a time signal at noon, but the video technician mishandled the equipment and the commercial lasted only three seconds, and it was rebroadcast at 7:00 p.m. the same day.

In 1956, Seiko launched Japan's first automatic wristwatch, the Automatic. The retail price at the time was 13,500 yen, more than three times the price of men's wristwatches, which were generally in the 4,000 yen range. In the same year, the company released the Marvel, which represented a significant improvement in accuracy, quality, and productivity over the previous model. This was achieved by increasing the outer diameter of the movement compared to the previous model.

In 1958, Seiko developed the 'Dia-Shock' anti-shock device.

In 1959, Seiko launched the Gyro Marvel, which featured a revolutionary self-winding mechanism, the Magic Lever, developed by Seiko. The Magic Lever was simple in structure and had high winding performance, and popularized automatic watches among the general public.

In 1960, Seiko released the Grand Seiko, aimed to be the most accurate wristwatch in the world.

Seiko quickly developed quartz technology in preparation for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and in 1963 launched the Seiko Crystal Chronometer, a dramatically smaller version of its previous quartz clock. The quartz clock Seiko had supplied to a broadcasting station in 1959 was about the size of a wardrobe, but this new product ran on two batteries and was portable. At the Tokyo Olympics, Seiko's mechanical stopwatches were selected as the official Olympic watches due to their high accuracy.

Seiko launched Japan's first chronograph wristwatch, the Crown Chronograph, in 1964, Japan's first world time wristwatch in the same year, and Japan's first diver's wristwatch in 1965. In 1967, Japan's first diver's watch with 300m water resistance was launched.

In 1967, Seiko won second and third place in a watch accuracy competition at a Neuchâtel Observatory competition; the competition was canceled after that year.

In 1968, Seiko took first place in a Geneva Observatory competition with a score of 58.19, surpassing all previous records. Swiss companies ranked first to third for their quartz movements and Seiko ranked fourth to tenth for its mechanical movements. In the competition, there were special movements for the competition.

In 1969, Seiko released several wristwatches that the company now regards as historically significant models. The Astron became the world’s first commercially available quartz wristwatch, with a price tag comparable to that of a mid-sized car at the time. The release of the Astron triggered what became known as the "Quartz Revolution" or "Quartz Crisis," during which the Swiss watch industry suffered a major decline from the 1970s through the early 1980s. The 5 Sports Speed Timer was the world’s first commercially available automatic chronograph, achieving great success due to its compact design and practical functionality. Although Zenith had previously unveiled a prototype automatic chronograph, Seiko was the first to bring one to market. Seiko also introduced the Grand Seiko V.F.A., a mechanical watch with ultra-high accuracy rated at ±2 seconds per day, and the U.T.D., a mechanical watch with an exceptionally thin movement measuring just 1.98 mm.

Since the 1970s, Seiko has introduced a variety of wristwatches with various world firsts: in 1973, Seiko introduced the world's first wristwatch with a LCD display capable of displaying six digits for hours, minutes and seconds; in 1975, Seiko introduced the world's first digital watch with a stopwatch function and a diver's watch with a titanium case. In 1978, Seiko introduced the world's first quartz diver's watch with a water resistance of 600 meters; in 1982, the world's first wristwatch with a television; in 1983, the world's first wristwatch with a record-and-play function and an analog quartz chronograph; in 1984, the world's first wristwatch computer; and in 1986, the world's first diver's watch with a ceramic case water-resistant to 1000 meters.

In 1974, Seiko launched Credor, a luxury brand using precious metals and jewelry, and in 1979, Alba, a low-priced brand for young people.

In 1985, Orient and Seiko established a joint factory.

In 1986, Baselworld allowed non-European manufacturers to participate, and Seiko began exhibiting that year.

In 1988, Seiko invented the world's first wristwatch with an innovative mechanism called "Auto Quartz", in which a rotating oscillating weight rotates in response to the wearer's arm movements, generating electricity to power the quartz. This mechanism was developed with the aim of creating a quartz watch that does not require battery replacement. This mechanism was adopted as Seiko's core movement and later renamed "A.G.S.". (Automatic Generating System). In 1991, to increase popularity, the watches were relaunched under the name "Seiko Kinetic".

Recent development

In 1998, Grand Seiko was released with the first new mechanical movement in 20 years.

In 1999, Seiko launched Spring Drive, the world's first mechanical wristwatch with the accuracy of quartz.

In 2004, the Astron, launched in 1969, was selected as an IEEE milestone. In the same year, Seiko began operating the Shizukuishi Watch Studio, which specializes in high-end watches.

In 2005, Seiko launched the world's first solar-powered analog watch that adjusts its accuracy by receiving three radio signals from Japan, Germany, and the United States.

In 2006, Seiko launched the world's first wristwatch based on microcapsule E-ink technology. This watch was the first Seiko watch to win an award at the Grand Prix de Genève for its innovative ability to bend the display part, in addition to providing more contrast and a wider viewing angle than conventional LCD displays.

In 2010, Seiko launched the world's first solar radio-controlled digital watch based on the active matrix EPD system, advancing the expression of information in digital watches.

In 2012, Seiko launched the world's first GPS solar watch, the Seiko Astron GPS Solar. Seiko positioned this watch as the second revolutionary wristwatch after the Astron, which was launched in 1969, and described that it had the ultimate practical functionality, being able to instantly display extremely accurate time anywhere in the world and working as long as there is light. Seiko's low power consumption GPS receiver contributed to the practical application of this watch.

In April 2025, Seiko announced the Grand Seiko SLGB001 and SLGB003, the most accurate mainspring-driven watches in history. The Spring Drive Caliber 9RB2 dramatically improved the accuracy of mainspring-driven watches from the previous Spring Drive calibers' record of ±15 seconds per month to ±20 seconds per year.

Seiko Group

K. Hattori & Co. (currently Seiko Group Corporation) was one of the three core companies of the former Seiko Group. Seiko Group consisted of K. Hattori (SEIKO), Daini Seikosha (currently Seiko Instruments Inc., SII), and Suwa Seikosha (currently Seiko Epson Corporation, EPSON). Although they had some common shareholders, including the key members of the Hattori family (posterity of Kintarō Hattori), the three companies in the group were not affiliated; they were managed and operated independently.

On January 26, 2009, Seiko Holdings and Seiko Instruments announced the two companies would merge on October 1, 2009, through a share swap. Seiko Instruments became a wholly owned subsidiary of Seiko Holdings as of 1 October 2009.

On October 1, 2022, Seiko Holdings was renamed Seiko Group. Epson still develops and manufactures some of the Seiko's highest grade watches, but is managed and operated completely independently from Seiko Group.

As of March 2025, Epson's revenue is more than four times greater than that of Seiko Group Corporation, and its number of employees is over six times larger. Epson fully acquired Orient Watch, originally founded in 1901, in 2009, and integrated its operations into Epson's business in 2017.

During the era of K. Hattori & Co., Ltd., the company's headquarters was located in Ginza 4-chome, at the site of the present-day Seiko House Ginza, from 1932. During the period it was known as Seiko Holdings Corporation, the headquarters was located in Toranomon until 2016, after which it moved to Ginza 1-chome. The headquarters has remained in Ginza 1-chome since the company was renamed Seiko Group Corporation.

Subsidiaries

* Seiko Watch Corporation — Planning, development and manufacturing of watches and other products and domestic and overseas sales
* Seiko Instruments Inc. — Development, manufacturing and sales of electronic components, precision components and printing devices
* Seiko Solutions Inc. — Development, manufacturing, sales, maintenance, services and consultations for the hardware and the software relating with information systems and network services.
* Seiko Time Creation Inc. — Development, manufacturing and sales of clocks (desk clocks, wall clocks, alarm clocks). Sale and incidental installation work for system clocks, varied information display equipment and sports timing equipment, as well as timing and measurement services for various sports.
* Wako Co., Ltd. — Sales of watches, jewelry, accessories, interior supplies, art goods and crafts, glasses and foodstuffs
* Seiko NPC Corporation — Development, manufacturing and marketing of integrated circuits (IC)
* Seiko Future Creation Inc. — Group-wide R&D and production technology development, plus provision of FA systems and instrument analysis services

Seiko in the United States

Seiko Corporation of America distributes Seiko watches and clocks, as well as Pulsar and Lorus brand watches, in the United States. The models available in the United States are typically a smaller subset of the full line produced in Japan. Seiko Corporation of America is headquartered in Mahwah, New Jersey, alongside the Coserv repair center. In the United States, Seiko watches are sold primarily by fine jewelers, department stores, and 19 Seiko company stores.

Brands and product lines

Seiko produces watches with quartz, kinetic, solar, and mechanical movements of varying prices, ranging from around ¥4,000 (US$45) to ¥50,000,000 (US$554,000). Seiko has created many different brands in Japan and the international market including Lorus, Pulsar, and Alba.

In 2015, the ''Financial Times'' reported that the enthusiastic reception of the Spring Drive movement prompted Seiko to launch higher-end pieces. Harvard Business School reported: "In 2003, Shinji Hattori, a great-grandson of Seiko's founder, became Seiko Watch Company's president and CEO and felt that Seiko should raise its perceived image outside Japan. In management's view, Seiko could claim distinction as the only 'mechatronic manufacturer' in the world – a vertically integrated watchmaker that excelled in both mechanical watchmaking and micro-electronics."

In 2017 and 2019, Seiko separated its two highest-end brands, Grand Seiko and Credor, from its other brand lines, establishing them as independent brands with their own operations and distribution networks.

As of 2025, Seiko positions Grand Seiko, King Seiko, Seiko Prospex, Seiko Astron, Seiko Presage, and Seiko 5 Sports as global brands with worldwide distribution. In contrast, some brands such as Credor are marketed primarily in specific countries, such as Japan.

Seiko 5

Seiko 5 is a sub brand that spawned with the introduction of the Seiko Sportsmatic 5 in 1963. Since then, many models have been introduced into the lineup, comprising a variety of different styles.

The name of the Seiko 5 sub brand is a reference to 5 attributes that any watch belonging to it would typically exhibit, those being:
# An automatic watch movement
# The day and the date displayed on the dial
# Water resistance to an acceptable degree
# A recessed crown at the 4 o'clock position
# A durable case and bracelet
In spite of their association with the brand, not all of these characteristics are universal across the lineup, as certain models have omitted the Day-Date display (such as the SSA333) and/or the 4 o'clock positioning of the crown (such as the SRPG31K1 and the aforementioned SSA333).

Seiko released many models under the Seiko 5 sub brand, including large and small divers; watches featuring different strap options, such as leather, nylon, or steel; transparent, or sterile case-back versions; and many other variations.

Seiko Lord Matic

The Seiko Lord Matic series of wristwatches was a mid-range sub-luxury watch of the 1970s that featured design innovations such as faceted crystals, colorful dials and sporty bracelets.

Seiko Astron

The Seiko Astron series is a quartz watch which receives time information and location information from GPS satellites. These watches also have a solar panel which means that the battery does not need to be replaced.

Seiko Presage

The Seiko Presage series is an all-mechanical lineup, a step up from the entry-level Seiko 5 models. It has slightly more elaborate designs and complex movements, such as urushi-lacquer dials, and self-winding movements with power reserve indicators. The Presage line watches are usually priced between US$200 to US$3,000.

Seiko entered a cooperation with the traditional cloisonné maker Ando Cloisonné Company from Nagoya to produce the dial for the limited edition in 2018.

Seiko Prospex

The Seiko Prospex series includes their professional series of watches such as their diving watches, which are typically ISO 6425 rated from 200 to 1000 metres of water resistance. Other watches in the Prospex line include field and pilot style watches.

In 2021, Akio Naito, President of the Seiko Watch Corporation, said that enthusiasts' respect for the brand can "influence the wider range of consumers." This influence can be seen in the Prospex range, where Seiko fans' nicknames resulted in the company eventually adopting these product names. For example, Seiko's own London boutique identifies the Prospex SPB191J1 watch using the fans' sobriquet: "Nicknamed 'Shogun' by fans, meaning Japanese 'Commander-in-chief', because of its strong looks."

Grand Seiko

Prior to 1960, to challenge the status of Swiss watches and change the perception of Japanese watches, Daini Seikosha and Suwa began the discussion of a product line that could match the quality of Swiss watches under the suggestion of the parent company. At the time, Suwa Seikosha Co. was in charge of manufacturing men's watches, so it was decided that Suwa would produce the first Grand Seiko.

The first Grand Seiko, released in 1960, was based on Seiko's previous high-end watch, ''CROWN''. This Grand Seiko has a 25- jewel, manual-winding, 3180 caliber, and its production was limited to 36,000 units. The watch was also the first chronometer-grade watch manufactured in Japan and was based on Seiko's own chronometer standard.

Some Grand Seiko timepieces also incorporate the company's Spring Drive movement, a movement that is a combination of both automatic and quartz timekeeping methods, leading to unparalleled accuracy in the world of automatic wristwatches. The most famous example is the SBGA011 Grand Seiko "Snowflake", housing the 9R Spring Drive movement.

With the repositioning of Grand Seiko from a Seiko subbrand to an independent brand in 2017, Grand Seiko aimed to transition to a true luxury brand. In 2022, 'Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon SLGT 003', featuring the world's first combination tourbillon and constant-force mechanism on the same axis, was released, priced at 370,000 euros.

As of 2025, Grand Seiko is guided by the brand philosophy "The Nature of Time" and is composed of five collections: the Masterpiece Collection, Evolution 9 Collection, Elegance Collection, Heritage Collection, and Sport Collection. The Masterpiece Collection is produced in special workshops staffed by Seiko's most elite watchmakers. The mechanical models are crafted at Atelier Ginza, located on the 7th floor of Seiko House Ginza in Tokyo, while the Spring Drive models are manufactured at the Micro Artist Studio within Seiko Epson's facility in Shiojiri, Nagano. The Micro Artist Studio has also been responsible for creating Credor's complicated timepieces since 2000.

At Seiko House Ginza, customers can place custom orders for one-of-a-kind Grand Seiko timepieces, provided they meet certain conditions such as a high budget and the use of precious metals.

Design style

The design language of the Grand Seiko was set in 1967, with the creation of Grand Seiko 44GS. The 44GS set the ground for all future Grand Seiko with nine elements. These elements help improve the legibility of the watch under different situations, and create a sharp, crisp visual impression:
# Double width index at 12 o'clock
# Multi-faceted rectangular markers
# Highly polished bezel
# Highly polished planes and two-dimensional surface
# Half recessed crown
# Flat dial
# Multi-faceted hour and minute hands
# Curved side line
# Reverse slanted bezel wall and case side
# Dress style with simple but beautiful design
# Zaratsu polishing

King Seiko

The King Seiko line was created by Daini Seikosha to compete directly with Grand Seiko. The first King Seiko was released the year after the first Grand Seiko, in 1961. The first King Seikos were made with unmarked, manual winding, 25 jewel movements, that were not internally tested chronometers. This was followed by the release of the '44KS' movement in 1964, a remake of the 44GS, a manual winding, 18,000 bph, movement with a screwdown case back. In 1968, the 45KS was introduced with a manual winding, 36,000 bph hi-beat movement – again meant to compete with the 45GS but generally less accurate and with less finishing. King Seiko Certified Chronometer and Superior Certified Chronometers were released between 1968 and 1970. These first two were produced by Daini Seikosha but one of the most impressive King Seikos, the 56KS, was actually made by the Suwa Seikosha. The King Seiko 56KS movements were the same as those used in Grand Seiko’s 56GS series, Seiko Lord Matic watches, and Seiko chronometers. It was also introduced in 1968 and featured an automatic, 28,800 bph movement with 25 jewels and a 47-hour power reserve. These watches were all marked ‘Hi-Beat’ on the dial despite being only 28,800 bph (instead of 36,000). The 56KS was made until 1975, when the King Seiko line was discontinued by the company.

The last King Seiko collection was made by Daini, and was the 52KS, starting off in 1971 and made until 1975. This line used the 5245 and 5246 movement. These were meant to be high-end chronometers, with some even marked ‘V. F. A.’ (Very Fine Accuracy) or ‘Special’ on the dial. Many of these were of the "Vanac" sub-line and featured colorful dial faces and faceted crystals.

In 2021, Seiko released a reissue model inspired by the design of the second-generation King Seiko KSK, originally introduced in 1965, and in 2022, the company fully revived the King Seiko brand.
In the summer of 2025, Seiko plans to bring back the 1972 King Seiko VANAC using modern technology. The watch will be powered by the Caliber 8L45, which offers an accuracy of +10 to -5 seconds per day and a power reserve of 72 hours. Seiko claims that this caliber represents the highest-grade mechanical movement within the Seiko brand (excluding calibers used in the independent Grand Seiko and Credor lines).

Credor

Credor is Seiko's highest-end brand alongside Grand Seiko. Seiko positions Grand Seiko as watches for everyday use, while Credor is intended for special occasions. The brand name is derived from the French words Crête d'Or, meaning "Crest (or Pinnacle) of Gold." Its logo symbolizes the peak of a mountain.

Credor was established in 1974 as a low-volume production line specializing in watches made with precious metals such as gold and platinum. In 2019, it was reorganized as an independent brand, like Grand Seiko, separate from Seiko's main lineup. As of 2022, Credor remains primarily a domestic (Japanese) brand with limited international distribution.

During Japan's economic bubble in the late 1980s and early 1990s, high-end jeweled watches priced over 10 million yen sold well, and Credor's jeweled watches experienced a golden era.

Since the 1990s, in addition to quartz jeweled watches, Seiko began incorporating mechanical watches into the Credor line, featuring intricate engravings based on traditional Japanese aesthetics. In 1996, the brand released its first skeleton watch, the GBBD998, which featured the ultra-thin 1.98 mm Caliber 6899 and a caliber engraved with motifs of swaying bamboo and chrysanthemums.

In 2000, Seiko established the Micro Artist Studio at Epson's facility in Shiojiri, Nagano, to begin producing haute horlogerie, which refers to high-end, artisanal Spring Drive watches, under the Credor name. Notable creations by the studio include the Credor Node Spring Drive Sonnerie (2006), Credor Node Eichi (2008), Credor Node Spring Drive Minute Repeater (2011), and Credor Eichi II (2014). Because Seiko had largely lost its capacity for high-end mechanical watchmaking by the late 1990s due to the quartz revolution, the release of the Spring Drive Sonnerie only six years after the studio's founding surprised many watch journalists.

Credor is also known for its artistic watches decorated with traditional Japanese lacquer techniques such as ''maki-e'', ''raden

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